😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $762 in San Vicente.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,213 in San Vicente.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,664 in San Vicente.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 66% more expensive than San Vicente, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, San Vicente43% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$7.79$7.79
-39.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$34.84$34.84
30.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$6.95$6.95
21.29%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$3.24$3.24
-9.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.15$1.15
-40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.84$0.84
-55.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.96$1.96
22.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.04$3.04
22.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.81$1.81
23.20%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.96$1.96
-6.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.55$1.55
40.00%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.86$2.86
-22.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$7.22$7.22
173.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$6.73$6.73
-46.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$10.71$10.71
26.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.23$3.23
1.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.72$1.72
-6.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.64$2.64
-8.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.63$2.63
-20.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.24$2.24
-31.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.18$2.18
-32.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.02$1.02
-2.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.03$1.03
-50.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$4.04$4.04
9.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$10.81$10.81
79.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.76$1.76
1.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.45$2.45
10.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$5.62$5.62
-46.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$3.11$3.11
-68.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$20.06$20.06
-29.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.03$1.03
32.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$25.6K$25.6K
10.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.2K$28.2K
16.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$101$101
20.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$19.40$19.40
-30.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$41.27$41.27
-55.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$5.19$5.19
67.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$147$147
370.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$5,949$5,949
163.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$68.5$68.5
-13.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$43.49$43.49
-20.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$116$116
-1.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$106$106
-21.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Vicente
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.58
-37.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for San Vicente: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in San Vicente for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $256 per month, with San Vicente cheaper across the board.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Phuket vs San Vicente: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Vicente cheaper than Phuket?
San Vicente is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,142 in San Vicente to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $147 in San Vicente. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or San Vicente?
Dining out is cheaper in San Vicente – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or San Vicente?
At $762 in San Vicente versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Vicente but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Vicente the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or San Vicente more family-friendly?
For families, San Vicente is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or San Vicente?
Safety-wise, Phuket and San Vicente are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Vicente gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.